Wood bending apparatus



April'BO, 1948., .o. s. CATRON WOOD BENDING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 24, 1944 Pa'tented Apr. 30, 1946 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,399,427 WOOD BENDING APPARATUS Oliver G. Catron. Barbourville, Ky. Application January 24, 1944, Serial No. 519,519 4 Claims. (Cl. 144-266) The present invention relates broadly to a simple and inexpensive apparatus for bending wood, but more specifically is intended for use in the expeditious manufacture of canes, umbrella shafts and the like.

In the manufacture of canes the wooden rods are first softened by steam or water and then bent to the desired form and placed in drying kilns for several hours at least. Inasmuch as many canes may be bent in a few hours, even manually by a single workman, it becomes highly essential that the parts which secure the bent rods while in the kiln be few in number and of low cost. It is also of paramount importance that the apparatus be of simple construction so as to facilitate easy operation to the end that a maximum number of rods be bent per unit of time.

It is an object of the present invention therefore to provide a wood bending apparatus of relatively few and inexpensive parts which are of simple design and readily operated at high speed.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a wood bending apparatus in which the parts which remain with the bent strip when it is placed in the drying kiln are reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of means to maintain the shaft of the cane or the like in its original straight condition during the bending operation in which the handle is formed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the novel bending apparatus in use, parts being broken away.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the apparatus showing the cane bent to form the handle, but before being removed from the head.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the assembly ready to be placed in the dryin kiln.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a clamp for holding the parts in their bent formation.

Figures 5 and 6 are detail sectional views taken on lines 5-5 and 6-6 respectively of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Figure 1, and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a bendable strip of metal and an abutment, which form a backing for the cane to secure a uniform bend and a straight body portion.

Referring to the drawing in greater detail, the numeral I indicates a portion of a bench or the like on which the bending apparatus may be mounted for manipulation by the operator. The

head or base 2, whichmay be formed of cast metal or' the like, may be fixedly secured to the bench l by means of a center bolt 3 and an offset pin 4.

A circular boss 5 forms an integral part of the head and is provided with a horizontal flange 6 at its lower edge which forms a guide and support for the cane as it is being bent to form a handle. Loosely surrounding the boss 5 and separable therefrom is a metal ring 1 preferably provided with an external groove 8 to form a seat for the handle of the cane.

' The head 2 is also provided with a radial extension 9. This portion of the apparatus is formed with a slot ID in its upper surface which extends substantially tangentially of rin 7 and the boss-5 on which the ring is mounted. A slit H is also formed in a wall of the extension 9 and communicates with the-slot Ill. The extension 9 is also provided with an abutment or shoulder l2; these several parts Ill, II and 12 being adapted to removably hold and support a strap-metal bendingelement l3. A pin I4 is secured in one end of strap I3 and is adapted to engage the outer wall of the member 9 when the strap is passed downwardly into the sli H. A block or abutment l5, preferably of metal, is secured to strap l3 by a rivet l5 and is adapted to engage the shoulder 12 on extension 9 when the strap is applied to the head.

The remote end of strap I 3 may be provided with an aperture I6 adapted to detachably engage apin ll extending laterally of a metal sleeve or tube l8, adjacent the end thereof. A ring l9 slidably mountedon the tube l 8 may be employed to overlap the end of strap l3 as indicated in Figure 1, although this element of the apparatus is not essential. Detachably connected to the opposite end of the tube l8, as'by means of a threaded ring 20, is a tube' 2| of slightly smaller internal diameter. The tube 2| is internally threaded to receive athreaded bolt 22 provided with an operating handle 23. This construction provides for operation upon sticks of different length as well as tapered sticks. But it is to be particularly noted that by the rotation of the member 22 the far end of the wooden stick will be forced tightly against the abutment l5, so that both ends of the stick are firmly held, and thus lengthening of the stick during the bending operation is prevented. And it is also to be noted that the diameter of the tube 2| is such that the end of the stick fits snugly therein, and thus the end is encompassed and firmly held, so that crackis positioned in the slot H! as indicated in Figure 1. The wooden rod 24, of proper length and suitably steamed or otherwise treated along the por tion to be bent, is then assembled with the tube l8, and the pin I! inserted in the aperture l6 of strap I3. It will be noted that the'wooden rodiis:-

in alignment with block 15, and th bolt. 22 is now screwed into the tube 21 so as to force the opposite end of the rod into firm corrt'actwith.

block l5. The ring l9 may be moved intothe position shown in Figure 1;. and the operatorthen produces the curve. in the handle (Figure 2) by swinging the sleeve l8 and related parts about the ring I as a center; In this operation the strap 13 serves. to force: and maintain; the rod into close contact withthering T, thereby producing a uniform bend in the handle portion of the cane, while the tube or sleeve l'8-2I" serves to hold th body portion of the cane" substantially straight. In this operation also the flange 6' on the head 2 serves as a guide in directing thebent portion. of the rod into engagement with the groove 8 on ring. 1',

After this operation is completed the U-shaped clamp 25 is applied, as indicated in Figure 2, to hold the parts in their bent condition; one leg" of the clamp being placed against. the headof rivet l" to prevent accidental movement'of the clamp.

The formed can'e is now ready for processing in a dryingv kiln, and to this endthe assembly shown in Figure 3, namely; the ring- 16, bent strap l3 with? block. l5, clamp 25 and cane 24, is removed from the head 2 and placed in the kiln. The operator then applies another. ring I and strap l3 to the head 2, and'another rodis inserted and bent to shape, etc. It is to. be, particularly noted that the only parts placed in the kiln, aside from the. cane itself, are a ring 1, strap l3. and clamp 25. These partsarevery simpleand inexpensive and it: is obvious. that a great many duplicates may be provided, without undue cost. so: that the operations may be continued. until the-finished canes are taken from: the kiln and thev rings, etc:, removed and" againplacedin associationwith the head12.

Should it'be desiredto bendrods ofa different length from that indicated it is. only necessary to disconnectthe tubes l8 and-2i and substitute a different length. tube I8 01" 2-1 to provide the reated, the head 2 would" be partly rotated to provide the bend rather than by swinging th tube l8-2l and related parts.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have provided an exceedingly simple and inexpensive apparatus for bending wood to produce canes and the like, that the parts are relativel few and of simple design, that the structure is such as to permit of expeditious operation while producing a uniform bendand maintaining the body of the rod in its original straight condition, and that the parts which remain with the rod while in the drying kilnare relatively few and of inexpensive construction.

In: accordance with the patent statutes I have described what I now believe to be the preferred construction of the apparatus, but it is to be understood: that various changes may be made in the structural details without departing from the spirit ofth'einventi'on, and it is intended that all such changes be included within the scope ofthe appended claims;

What is claimed is:

1. Wood bending apparatus comprising a base member; a ring loosely mounted: thereon, a flexible band connected with the base member and cooperating with the ring for bending a wooden rod about the ring, and a tube detachably connected to-theband for operating the same and for receiving and maintaining certain parts of the wooden rod in its original condition.

2. Wood bending apparatus comprising a base member, a ring removably mounted thereon, a flexible band connected with the base member and cooperating with the ring for bending a wooden rod about the ring, an abutment on the band adjacent the ring, a tube detachably connected tothe band, and means associated with the tube forforcing the materialto be bent into firm contact with the abutment.

3'. Wood bending apparatus comprising a base member; a ring loosely mounted thereon, a flexible band connected with the base member and cooperating with the ring for bending a wooden rod about the ring, an abutment on the band adjacent the ring, a tube associated with the band, said tube being of 'a diameter to snugly fit about one end of the-wooden rod to be bent, and a threaded boltmounted' in the tube to force the other end of the wooden rod against said abutment.

4. Wood bending apparatus comprising a base member, a ring loosely mounted thereon, a fixed shoulder carried by the base member, a flexible metal band for bending a wooden rod about the ring, means adjacent one end of the band for removably connecting the band with the base member, an abutment on the band. adjacent the ring, one side of said abutment engaging said shoulder on the base member, and means connected' with the other end of said band for forcing the wooden rod against the abutment, said means including a threaded bolt.

OLIVER G. CATRON. 

